OHR’s Statement at the International Agencies’ Joint Press Conference in Mostar

OHR
Supports International Financial Institutions on Veterans’ Law


 


The OHR fully supports the unanimous position of the international
financial institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that the Federation Law on the
Rights of War Veterans and Members of their Families, if enacted in its present
form, would bring financial havoc to the Federation budget.


 


In addition, the Law would not
benefit veterans, as the envisaged transfers would be impossible to maintain,
and the broad economic consequences would likely be a reduction in employment
and living standards.


 


The Federation Government adopted
the Law on Monday, and the Federation House of Representatives adopted it on
Tuesday.


 


The World Bank, the IMF, and the
EC pointed out that, together with existing obligations, passage of this law
would mean that total annual transfers to veterans and the families of fallen
soldiers would amount to around half of the Federation budget.


 


This is unsustainable. Making
commitments to war veterans that simply cannot be kept, one week before an
election, can only be viewed as a fundamental breach of faith on the part of the
authorities.

Europa.ba